Problems of the Past
by OlfactorySensation
Summary: Harry, rescued from the Dursley's by Hagrid, shows up to Hogwarts to be riddled with questions he couldn't be expected to answer. Among these are "Why did your parents leave you to move away?" and "How did you kill the Dark Lord?" Seeking answers, he explores the restricted section, looking for clues.
1. Chapter 1

J.K. Rowling gave the characters and the background. I just provided the rest.

A/N: First time writing a story. Any feedback is appreciated.

It'd grown cold in the house. The Dursley's had left Harry alone hours before to to a very special occasion. Harry could care less, but as his birthday drew nearer, the remembered nudgings from Dudley talking about the cake at Vernon's office gathering garnered a rumble from his stomach. The chocolate icing raced through his head, tantalizing him as he closed his eyes. Deciding on making food, he stood up from the chair behind Dudley's computer. It would not hurt to use it if he wasn't here.

Stretching his back, he hopped down the stairs to the immaculate kitchen, quickly grabbing a plate from the cabinets. As he opened the fridge for the carton of eggs, a loud knock sounded from the front door. Jumping at the sound, he hit his head on the roof of the refrigerator before regaining his composure and setting the eggs on the counter. Rubbing his head as he walked to the door, he wondered at who would come knocking on an empty house. Peering out the side window, he saw a burly man, wearing giant skins of leather. He towered over the door, though it was hard to tell the height of adults when they all towered above you. Despite being small, he was only ten, turning eleven just this night, not that the Dursley's would bother to fuss about it.

In the man's hands sat a delicious looking cake, exactly what he'd been daydreaming about earlier. Deciding that he couldn't be that bad if he had cake, he walked to the door carefully, hoping to hide the fact from the man that he'd just been watching him secretly.

"Well if it ain't ruddy Harry Potter," he said as the door just began to crack open. "You know, I'm sure you heard a bit abou' me already but you shouldn' be drawin' ideas abou' me yet. Look, I even brought yer cake birthday cake to make up for all missed 'uns."

"Excuse me, but I don't think I know you," said a a rather flustered looking Harry as this strange man claimed to not only know him but his birthdate as well.

"Right o'course. You've just never seen me before. I'm Hagrid. Yer mother's sister must 'ave mentioned me before. Petunia is it?" said Hagrid, a jovial look to his face.

"I don't think so... Are you one of the neighbors? Do you work with my uncle?" asked Harry, his curiosity aroused.

"Come on, Harry! Stop pulling my leg. You ruddy well know I'd never live near no muggles-or work for them for that matter. Not enough space," said Hagrid, a faraway look in his. His attention returning back to Harry, he said quickly, "Well let's get this cake underway! I've got your letter for Hogwarts with me, too. It's just gonna be in one of these pockets." Hagrid started to pat himself down looking for the letter before taking two giant steps into the house. Harry managed to move quickly enough to miss him, but he was starting to get worried. A strange man had just walked into his aunt and uncle's house. He knew Petunia would make him scrub the floors where Hagrid's boots left mud.

Hagrid set off to the kitchen table, taking a seat and ignoring the chair's groans under his weight. "Go ahead and have a piece, Harry!" said Hagrid, picking up some fallen icing with his finger and eating it. Harry thought to himself that it did look rather good, and this man was talking of Hogwarts whatever that was. He might as well eat some cake and find out. Cutting a piece, he sat in a chair across the table from the man, eying him as he pulled odd trinkets out of his innumerable pockets. Finally finding a piece of crumpled paper, he smoothed it out in front of Harry.

"Ah, here it is. Knew I shoulda put in my coat pocket," said Hagrid, adjusting his pants. Harry looked at the paper, wary of its previous home. Read its small print, he got from it that he was a wizard and this was his acceptance letter to wizarding school-Hogwarts they called it. Looking up at Hagrid, he saw a flash of movement before Hagrid seemed to try to act natural, failing miserably at that. The tip of his finger looked a tad green which made Harry wonder what he could have been doing before he looked. Harry was starting to warm up to him already.

"So tha' is yer letter. Figured I'd take ya shoppin', too. The muggles shouldn' be back soon."

"Hold on, Hagrid. What is this Hogwarts, anyway? And how could I be a wizard? They're just in fairytales," said Harry, starting to feel like this was an elaborate practical joke to get him in trouble.

"Come on, Harry. You ruddy well know yer a wizard. The whole wizarding world is obsessed with ya! Come on, I'll take ya to Diagon Alley and show ya. You're famous! And while we're there, we can get yer school supplies, too," said Hagrid, seeming to skip parts of the conversation dealing with explanation. Thoroughly confused, and quite frankly curious, Harry looked at him, gauging his sincerity. He looked like the most trustworthy person he'd ever seen. Placing his doubts behind, he responded, "All right, Hagrid. I'll go with you but only if you explain to me about all this magic stuff on the way."

Hagrid looked at him bemusedly. "I suppose I might as well play along to this gag." Hagrid must have thought he was pulling his leg. That changed before they stepped out of the door, Harry having asked five questions already.

A/N: First chapter ever and it feels good. Tell me what you all think. I know it was short, but I'm just feeling the waters with this.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Not sure how I want to do my updates. Would you all prefer shorter and quicker or bigger and longer waits. Leave a review and let me know. Thanks to all those who read the first chapter and here's to a better second.

 **Chapter 2**

Hagrid and Harry made short work of the trip through London. Between Harry's questioning and Hagrid's silly responses, both were red faced by the time they reached a grungy looking pub. A flickering sign sat above the door reading "Tallow Tavern." The window's were dark with layers of caked smoke.

"That's Diagon Alley, Hagrid?" asked Harry questioningly.

"Why, it's Tom's inn! Ain't as bad as it looks from the outside. It's just to keep the muggles away," said Hagrid, starting across the road to the building. Harry followed, watching people pass by the out of place inn without a second glance. Standing right next to the door, Harry looked up at Hagrid. "What are we waiting on, Hagrid? Is it dangerous?"

"No, no. It's just tha' I dunno if yer ready for what is abou' to happen. See, when you killed He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, there were celebrations around the world. You brought us out of the dark ages, Harry. People love you, you'll see. Jus' be ready." Placing his massive hand on the door handle, he slowly opened the wobbly door. Harry felt anxious. Butterflies danced in his stomach. What could he have done that was so special? He couldn't even remember anything.

Heads turned as they both walked through the door. Harry felt almost hidden as the everyone's eyes glazed over him to rest on the huge man. "Can I getcha anything, Hagrid?" said the Tom the barman. "Gotta pass this time, Tom. Off to help Harry here get his school stuff." The eyes around the room quickly focused on him. The edge of his scar barely peeked from between his bangs.

"What's tha' on his forehead there?" "Blimey, is that Harry Potter?" "I think its him!" said another voice and then everyone was around him, begging for a handshake or any form of acknowledgement from their hero. Harry taken aback by this, almost fell as the crowd swarmed him but Hagrid's hand caught him. "Alrigh', alrigh' everybody! Give him some space!" said Hagrid's booming voice of the clammering of everyone's voices. The room fell silent as the eyes resumed their position of the giant man. "If you wan' a meet-and-greet, see him later. We got errands to run." And with a quick step, a hole cleared through the crowd where Hagrid went. Harry looked apologetic at the crowd, following Hagrid and shaking the few hands he could on the way.

The buzz of voices started up again talking of Harry Potter as he and Hagrid both made their way to the back store room where a bare brick wall stood. "Quite the followin' you got, eh, Harry?" said Hagrid as he pulled a pink umbrella from inside his coat. Harry didn't respond, too overcome by his sudden popularity. At school, he was ostracized and abandoned, even by teachers. It seemed no had wanted anything to do with him as strange things happened wherever he went.

Hagrid tapped his umbrella upon a few bricks and before his eyes, the wall opened up to an alley filled with people jostling around each other to get in stores. The scent of fresh waffles reached his knows as he passed by a store with a wooden sign reading "Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour." Hagrid, following his gaze reached into a pouch on his belt. Hearing metal clink together, Harry turned his attention back on Hagrid as he handed him a few bronze coins. "These are knuts, Harry. Wizard money. Go ahead and get some if you wan' to," said Hagrid as he put his eyes on the ice cream. "Can't have any myself. Watching my figure as it turns out. Ruddy Professor Sprout signed up half the staff for some vegetable meal plan. Wouldn' want to disappoint her. She's got some nasty mandrakes."

Harry just looked at him, trying to hide his smile as Hagrid talked about watching his figure. It was quite obvious he wasn't taking it too seriously. Thanking him for the money, he went into the shop while Hagrid waited outside, whistling as people passed him by with a wide berth.

Reaching the counter, a happy looking old man leaned down. "Hey there. Looking for ice cream? We've got a new flavor in from Bertie Botts! Want to try it?" asked the old man. Harry, his attention completely focused on the floating ice cream scoops, nodded without really hearing. The man behind the counter just smiled, and got him a cone. "Say, what's that on your forehead? Hit it on something? said the man as he handed the cone to Harry. Quickly realizing that he would have to cover it up unless he wanted a crowd following him the entire day, he made up a story about falling down the steps as he handed the coins over. Quickly walking away, he met Hagrid as he licked the melting ice cream.

"Firs' things firs', Harry. We have to go to Gringotts to get you some money. Yer parents have left you some, don't you worry. Didn' run off and leave you with nothin'," said Hagrid, a darker look escaping his previously smiling face. As he raced to keep up with Hagrid's steps, his head swiveled left and right at the shops he passed. One side read "Flying Falcons" with shiny broomstick in the windows while another read "Gentry's Goose". It's windows looked dark but the sounds of hooting and cries of more exotic animals reached his ears as he passed.

A towering white marble building brought his attention back. Standing right in front of him, the polished steps lead up to a regal looking entrance where goblins stood guard. Their eyes were roving the crowd the flowed in and out of the bank, watching for trouble. Walking past them, he felt their eyes dig into his back as he entered the enormous entrance hall. On each side sat a row of windows, each with a goblin behind them, speaking to customers. Hagrid walked up to a waiting teller and placed a key on the counter in front of him.

"I'd like to go to Vault 687 to make a withdraw," said Hagrid, sound much more formal than he did moments before. The goblin scraped the key from the counter with his long nails and examined it closely. "And I assume this is Mr. Potter?" inquired the goblin. Harry nodded his head quickly, not trusting his words. This was the first time he'd ever seen a goblin—or been called Mr. for that matter.

Stepping from behind the counter, he led them them to an outlined section of wall near the back of the hall. Swiping his nail across the surface, the slab outlined slid inward, exposing a secret passage. Following the goblin, they reached a cart. Motioning them to get in the cart, Hagrid looked sideways, a little green.

"I dunno how well I'd do in this cart," said Hagrid, saying it almost pleadingly. The goblin's eyes glinted in the dim light of the passage before he uttered, "I think it best if you attend the vault." Gulping, Hagrid walked slowly to the cart, squeezing in between Harry and the back of the cart. Flipping a switch next to the track, the cart took off, careening downward almost immediately. The track seemed to be attached to the walls instead of the floor Harry thought as they went sliding around a narrow bend, Hagrid's head just narrowly missing it.

Flashes of light were on his left and right, whizzing past. The tracks leveled as they approached a tunnel. Harry could not see through it, it's exit pitch black. The cart seemed to slow by hidden brakes as they entered the darkness. Black fell on his eyes. Even as he looked back, the light he was just in seemed gone. The cart ground to a halt. Harry could feel Hagrid shaking behind him as the goblin shifted. He heard him hop out of the cart and a clank of metal. The cart sprung to life again as Hagrid's body went rigid, the goblin still not in the cart.

Flying forward, the precipice of a cliff started to emerge from the dark. It drew nearer and nearer, the cart bouncing wildly on the tracks seemingly out of control. The cart met the edge and followed the track that clung to the cliffside, taking them straight down. Harry fell out of the cart, still wildly flying through the air, below him pitched in darkness. He saw the ground moments before he reached as he attempted to catch his fatal fall. He stopped moments before he hit the ground, to feel a tugging all over his body as if someone was pulling him apart.

The pain ended and Harry fell through the floor onto the heaping pile of leather that was Hagrid. "Oomph," they both said at the same time.

"Sorry, Hagrid. What happened there? Where are we?" said Harry sounding slightly crazy. The question didn't need Hagrid's answering as Harry's eyes focused on the same goblin that led them into the cart in front of him.

"Wait a second! How'd you get down here? And was all that really necessary?" said Harry as he bit back harsher words, remembering the goblin guards at the entrance of the bank. The goblin turned his back on him to face a giant metal door. It'd been unlocked already and the goblin pulled it outward. In the open space, within the vault lay a single piece of paper. Stepping forward, he picked up the paper, brushing the dust off of it. Just as he read the first word, he heard the squeaking of the vault's door hinges and Hagrid's cries of "Hey! Wha' the bloody hell do ya thin' yer doin'!" before the door closed and silence enveloped him. Cloaked in darkness, he forgot about reading the paper.

Feeling his way to the wall, he search for the door. Finding its cold surface, he felt woozy and fell in a heap about the floor of his vault.

A/N: Slightly longer chapter. Not sure if I'll be writing more or not. If you like it, make sure to leave a review as it shows that I have people reading it that care.

As always, thanks for reading.


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